Introducing Long-Reining to a young, green, flighty horse...

[black_horse]

my mare is a 7 year old hanovarian mare, quite highly strung and very sharp. She is very green in her head. Currently she is being lunged and ridden 5 times a week, however, i would like to introduce long reining to encourage her to use her back end more, prevent her falling out and to help build correct muscles.

She is lunged in a roller, bandages, side reins, lunge cavesson with the bridle's bit attachement on underneath.

I have never long reined before, but i am very competent lungeing. I would love some advice on introducing this to my mare.

Many thanks in advance

 

[henryhorn]

There are various methods of long reining, and to be honest you would be better trying them out on an older horse first rather than put your mistakes into a youngster.
We favour the continental method when you have two extra long lunge reins through the upright terrets on a roller straight back to your hands after they pass through the rings. Most horses who have been lunged wll accept this with no arguement, and it's a wonderful method of training them because you can make small adjustments to them with half halts etc yet all the time you can watch what they are doing.
Once they accept the loose reins happily, start to use the outside rein yourself as if you were riding. The hard part comes when you change the rein, sometimes they balk a bit at the rein flipping over their bum, but before long you can change at trot and even do simple changes at canter.
The other english method is to walk behind them.
We also do this but you do need to keep out of kicking distance and have them already responsive to the command walk on with your voice from the lunge.
You can then progress back to the circle with one rein round their bottom and for lazy horses this works well, they soon discover they need to work when the rein encourages them forward.
I would recommend finding Sylvai Stanier's book on long reining, it helps you with ideas and methods.
I firmly believe that provided you put enough long reining in (on the circle) for around three weeks, when you get on the hrose it is virtually trained only needing to find it's balance with your weight on; one fo the ones I broke like that cantered a figure of eight that first day and did several perfect transitions, all because it understood what was being asked.
I should warn you anyone doing long reining ends up with a time when they wrap the horse up like a parcel when it goes all wrong; don't panic, just quietly walk towards it and unwrap, also don't forget to use the outside rein on horses who attempt to turn in, it works wonders..
If this advice works, post a pic or two!!!

 

[black_horse]

thank you so much for a detailed run through

i will most definetly post pictures! ill be introducing this slowly so she is not phased by it. personally i think she will like it once she is used to it. thank you so much henry horn, once again such sound advice!

have a cookie!

 

[TarrSteps]

I would second trying whatever method you're going to use on a relatively calm, experienced horse first. That way, if your mare does get upset you're less likely to get into a tangle.

How I long rein depends a lot on what I'm using it for and what stage the horse is at. I actually really enjoy it - it's like playing a really interactive video game - but I'll admit I've had a few heart stopping moments along the way.

In addition to henryhorn's very sage and experienced advice I'd add the obvious, wear a helmet and gloves, and try it only in an enclosed, quiet space to start. If you're worried the horse might react in her mouth you can try it off a cavesson or snug halter first (I have a bespoke arrangement with a halter and snaffle bridle I like to use the first few times so if the horse does react strongly I'm not risking its mouth) and/or have someone lead her to start. And make sure you've got her used to the line touching her sides and legs before you commit yourself to actual long reining.

 

[chris_j]

There's a cool vid on horse hero about long-reining with Dr B http://www.horsehero.com/5201/5214/13671

I'd second the advice above on finding a chilled out horse that has been long-reined before & ask the owner if you can have a practice

 

[black_horse]

QR - phoned a friend of mine, been bracking in driving horses for over 30 years, she said she will show me the basics on her pony spicy

i have started to get her used to things on her side (a plastic bag tied on a dressage whip rubbed gently over her side). initially (in every session!) she puts her ears back and snorts, then nuzzles the bag, then relaxes.

promising signs i think.

i wont handle my horse without gloves, a hat and boots on. too safety conscious!

 

[Orangehorse]

Re horse wrapped up in a parcel - I saw this just the other week, it all happened in an instant, and later that day the trainer was telling how it had happened once when he had a really flighty horse that also kicked a lot. The horse was so tied up it couldn't move and while the trainer was wondering how to extract him from the situation (fearing being kicked out of the ring) the horse suddenly gave a big sigh and relaxed, so the trainer very quickly unwound him!

I have long reined my horse a bit, although he knows all about it as he was broken to drive before I had him I have seldom done it, but with the guidance of the trainer I could see how it would be very useful. I was told just to hold the reins the same as if you are riding. with bent elbows and to use the reins to keep the horse on a circle. The horse moves, the trainer doesn't. If he comes in the on circle,use the outside rein to take him out. When he is going correctly there is little tension, just a light contact.

It is a lot easier if you have a lunging pen so they can't pull to the outside.

If you horse is likely to be nervous of things round her rear end, start by holding a bandage round her quarters, somewhere safe where she can't take off, like in the stable (bearing in mind that the handlers must be safe and able to get out of the way if she didn't like the feeling.) Then she can gradually get used tothe bandage being tied round her, it is soft and gives, and then when she accepts that she should be OK with the reins if one gets round her quarters.

But I would agree that for you, it would be better to learn on a horse that is OK with being long reined, so you get used to handling the reins without being worried about the horse getting spooked.

 

[kerilli]

i'd make sure i had a very good person holding the horse's head for quite a while as an anchor if necessary. i've had them wrap themselves up and when they spin they move so fast, you can't do anything about it. my flighty one did it and then tried running backwards while trussed up... fortunately i managed to stay with her and she stopped just before backing into the elec fence... my heart was in my mouth though.

 

[TURBOBERT]

A warning - although I know it can happen at any time. My daughter was long reining her 3 year old on a circle . Filly was used to long reining - done for two weeks or so plus my daughter had started leaning over her in preparation for backing- no probs whatsoever. Suddenly the filly napped - reared, lost her balance and fell over backward! She fractured her skull - and after bleeding from her nose and ears quite profusely - she died. My daughter , whilst not at all her fault, was totally traumatised and still has the 'picture' in her mind. Not sure what lesson can be learned but lunging and long reining a young horse can be dangerous both to the horse and to the handler.